Host Tom Bell explores how Accessory Dwelling Units are helping Maine homeowners navigate the state’s housing affordability crisis. He talks with two local residents—Mark Baker of Portland and Keri Ouellette of South Portland—who have each built an ADU for different reasons.
Mark Baker and his wife, Lynn, recently retired and wanted to move from Fresno, California, to Portland, Maine, to be closer to their daughter, her husband, and their two young grandchildren. But with housing costs in Portland significantly higher than in Fresno, they chose a creative solution: tearing down their daughter’s detached two-car garage in North Deering and building an ADU in its place.
In South Portland, Keri Ouellette and her husband were looking to create a little more breathing room in their 1,250-square-foot home. Because of their lot’s unusual shape, they found that building a detached ADU was more practical and less expensive than a conventional addition. Their 550-square-foot ADU includes a full kitchen, a living room with a dedicated home office area, and one bedroom, and thanks to modular construction, the unit was move-in ready just six months after the project began.
Read the show transcript
Let’s Connect Greater Portland – Creating a Home with an ADU
Let’s Connect Greater Portland
Episode Topic: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Tom Bell (Host):
You’re listening to WMPG, Gorham–Portland, and welcome to Let’s Connect Greater Portland, a show about the changes and challenges we face and the fantastic things people are doing to make our region a great place to live, work, and play. I’m Tom Bell.
Housing has become increasingly unaffordable for many people, a trend driven in part by a lack of supply. We simply don’t have enough housing for everyone who needs it, and as a result, housing costs have risen far faster than wages.
As part of a broader strategy to increase housing options, the Maine Legislature passed a law three years ago making it easier for homeowners to add accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. ADUs are small, self-contained homes located on the same lot as a primary residence. They have their own kitchen, bathroom, entrance, and living space. Think of them as a second, smaller home on the same property. They can also be attached to a main house, such as an apartment built over a garage.
Today we’re talking with two people who have built ADUs, each for a different reason, and each with a story to tell. Our guests are Mark Baker from Portland and Keri Ouellette from South Portland. Mark and Keri, welcome to the show.
Mark Baker:
Thank you.
Keri Ouellette:
Thank you.
Tom Bell (Host):
You’ve both been through the entire process of building an ADU, so you’re the experts here. If you’re thinking about building one, this is a great opportunity to hear from people who have done it.
You both agreed to share your stories on a new website, MaineADUguide.org. Why were you willing to share your personal experiences publicly?
Mark Baker:
There were a few reasons. First, we were contacted through Backyard ADU, the company we worked with, and we had a very positive experience with them. We wanted to help them because they had been very helpful to us.
Second, as you described earlier, housing is a serious issue. We’ve had a positive personal experience, and we think ADUs have the potential to help address the broader housing shortage. For those reasons, we were happy to participate.
Tom Bell (Host):
Keri, how about you?
Keri Ouellette:
We also worked with Backyard ADU and had a very good professional experience. I’m a planner and have worked on housing policy in Maine, so I have a particular interest in supporting efforts to expand housing options.
ADUs are a great opportunity to create more affordable housing, help people build wealth, and allow them to stay in their homes. From talking with others, I’ve found that many people don’t know what ADUs are, aren’t familiar with the process, or don’t realize they’re allowed to build one. I wanted to help spread the word about those opportunities.
Tom Bell (Host):
Do you agree that one reason housing is so expensive is simply that we don’t have enough of it?
Keri Ouellette:
I do. When you look at the numbers, even in communities that aren’t growing rapidly, demand still exists. Household sizes are getting smaller, and we have a lot of existing housing stock made up of larger homes.
ADUs create opportunities to adapt that stock—whether by converting garages, adding backyard units, or creating more flexible housing as household needs change.
Tom Bell (Host):
ADUs also seem like a way to add housing without dramatically changing neighborhood character.
Keri Ouellette:
Yes, and that’s a major concern in many Maine communities.
Tom Bell (Host):
In California, about 20 percent of all new housing units are ADUs. They’ve been ahead of Maine on this. Mark, tell us your story. Why did you decide to build an ADU?
Mark Baker:
My wife and I are originally from the Northeast, but we lived in Fresno, California, for many years. Our daughter and her family were living in Seattle, where ADUs are common, so we had seen them in practice.
When I retired, we wanted to move back to the Northeast to be closer to our daughters and grandchildren. One daughter intentionally bought a property in Portland with space for an ADU and encouraged us to consider it.
The biggest attraction was being close to our grandchildren. We did a feasibility study, looked closely at the finances, and compared the cost of selling our house in Fresno to the cost of building the ADU. It was close, but it worked, and we decided to move forward.
Another advantage was the speed of the process. We began the feasibility study in December, signed contracts in July, and moved in by November. Because it was modular construction, the timeline was much shorter than traditional building.
Tom Bell (Host):
A major cost in buying a home is the land itself. With an ADU, you’re not paying for land—you’re building on an existing property. In your case, wasn’t it built on a former garage?
Mark Baker:
Yes. There was an old two-car garage that needed repair, so it was torn down and replaced with the ADU. We now have about 800 square feet of living space and a one-car garage.
Tom Bell (Host):
What did it cost?
Mark Baker:
Around $360,000.
Tom Bell (Host):
Compared to buying a house in Portland, was it less expensive?
Mark Baker:
Absolutely. When we sold our house in Fresno, we realized that buying a home or even a condo in Portland would have required taking out a mortgage. This allowed us to use the proceeds from our sale and avoid ongoing payments in retirement.
Tom Bell (Host):
How did you work out ownership, since the ADU is on your daughter’s property?
Mark Baker:
Legally, they own the property and the ADU. Before moving forward, we talked openly about expectations and long-term plans. We created a memorandum of understanding that addressed things like inheritance and what would happen if circumstances changed.
At the heart of it is trust and a shared commitment to intergenerational living. We’re right next door, share meals, help with childcare, and support each other.
Tom Bell (Host):
Tell me about your grandchildren.
Mark Baker:
We have a five-year-old grandson and a one-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter. Our grandson often stops by before school just to say hello or do a quick art project. We help with childcare, and we also have our own private space. It’s a wonderful balance.
Tom Bell (Host):
And someday, they may be helping you.
Mark Baker:
Exactly. That’s part of why we built a one-story home.
Tom Bell (Host):
Keri, your situation was different. Why did you build an ADU?
Keri Ouellette:
My husband and I bought our house in South Portland in 2018. Since then, we had a child and began working from home more. Our house is small, and we needed more space.
Because of our lot’s size and shape, a traditional addition wasn’t practical or affordable. An ADU made more sense and offered flexibility over time. Right now, it’s an office and guest space, but it could be used for family or rented long-term in the future.
Tom Bell (Host):
How did neighbors react?
Keri Ouellette:
They were very supportive. The kids across the street loved watching the crane lift the modular pieces into place. People were mostly curious about the process.
Tom Bell (Host):
If you could go back and do it again, would you change anything?
Mark Baker:
Only small things. We chose beautiful hardwood floors, but we learned later that some woods dent more easily than others. Overall, we have no regrets.
Keri Ouellette:
Same for us. The process went smoothly, and having a company manage permitting made it much easier.
Tom Bell (Host):
That’s all the time we have today. Mark and Keri, thank you for sharing your experiences. If listeners want to learn more about ADUs, visit MaineADUguide.org. I’m Tom Bell, and this has been Let’s Connect Greater Portland. Thanks for listening, and take care of yourself and each other.Until then — be kind to yourself and to each other. See you next time on Let’s Connect Greater Portland.